RARITAN TOWNSHIP — Gov. Chris Christie said today the conversion of the former Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital into transitional housing for homeless veterans is going smoothly.

Hagedorn closed June 30 and was converted to Veterans Haven North as part of an expansion of the Veterans Haven program in South Jersey.

Freedom House, a long-term residential drug and alcohol treatment facility on the grounds of Hagedorn, has partnered with Veterans Haven North to provide services to the veterans who are given a place to stay for up to two years.

"Every indication I have from (Brig. Gen. Michael Cunniff, the acting adjutant general) is that it's going well," Christie said during a press conference at Hunterdon Medical Center.

He said he recently met with American Legion leaders.

"They are overjoyed at the Veterans Haven North addition to the family for folks in transition and veterans who come home and for a variety of different reasons, find themselves without a home," he said. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure that we help during that period of transition as they move on to the next productive phase of their lives."